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Friday, March 28, 2014

Paseo del Rio, Elephant Butte State Park (New Mexico)

I can't say it's windless here, but it's less wind. Paseo Del Rio is somewhat sheltered by the mountains (officially called "those, those, and them"), and the dam. The shelters have solid walls and some leeway about where you park, so it's possible to optimize your position for wind protection.

The bathroom is the running-water/flushy kind. There is a shower, but I'm warning you that the propane tank lies: this is a COLD-WATER shower. Still, it's water, and the shower room makes a good changing room. Water here has a lot of iron and sulphur.

All sites are semi-primitive, which means there is no water at your site, nor is there electricity available. I've mentioned the shelters, which are sheltering, and they have picnic tables.

All sites are on the Rio Grande. There is a nice walking path along the river.

Nights are very dark and very quiet. Guess what's the loudest thing here? Me. Quiet hours begin at 10 PM, and so I've been running my 3 minute-per-hour generator until then to stream TV, but I noticed no one else does that. They just go to bed, or enumerate regrets, whatever works that night. Just so I'm clear, I'm not running a threshold-of-pain portable generator; it's the Prius engine coming on occasionally to charge the battery.

I've been enjoying the trifecta of good eats, wifi, and electrical outlets at Passion Pie Café. A shout-out to Red, who somehow remembers people's names and preferences, even after long absences. Tip your baristas!

We stayed there at Paseo Del Rio a couple times & liked the quietness. Stayed about 4 or 5 days the first time at one of those shelters near the end of the road. Think it might have been in 09. Pulled an overnighter there back in 2011 on our way to our Ranch sitting job near Bisbee. Nice spot.

Roxi - I stayed there last year and loved the campground, but couldn't get any Internet at all, so I moved back into the park past the check-in place. I wonder if I was just in a bad location. Hmmmm. I'm glad you're enjoying it. There was water in the Rio Grande, which was nice though. :)

It has a certain charm, Lynda. And, if you want more amenities, there are other options nearby.

Barbara, without my Wilson Sleek, I get pretty much zero internet here. I was just cruising through the main park today, and it's packed. :P Just as well, because I like this place and South Monticello Point much better anyway.

Saunter, that's a very nice thing to say - thanks so much. I'll also change your link in my blogroll.

Al, I cast my eyes upon those more remote sites, too, and then I counted the steps to the wee-hour (get it? Wee?) walk to the bathroom. Also, that leg of the park is really full right now, while the front section is more spaced.

Beware! Cataloging remorse can become addictive. I like to sort it by decades and then put it in order of coulda, shoulda, woulda. I wouldn't spend too much time on it. It can be as bad as Candy Crush! LG